Tensioning means for tube frames



C. LEA.

TENSIONING MEANS FOR TUBE FRAMES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14, 1918.

Patented Mar. 7, 1922.

1920623107 harlea Lea UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES LEA, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO SHAWMUT ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. *7, 1922.

Application filed March 14, 1918. Serial No. 222,376.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, CHARLES LEA, citizen of the United States and resident of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts. have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tensioning Means for Tube Frames, of which. the following is a'specification. I y

This invention relates to tube frames such as are employed in weaving Axminster carpets or other pile fabrics for the purpose of delivering the tuft yarns between the warp threads in the weaving operation.

Generally speaking the characteristic feature of this invention resides in providing individual yarn tensioning means for each individual tuft tube with a construction which securely retains the tensioning devices in their normal operative position ,while permitting each tension member to be readily detached from its tuft tube for purposes of adjustment, replacement, or the like without disturbing any other part of the structure. Another feature of this invention consists in positioning the tension member so that it compresses the tuft element lightly into the narrow lower portion of the tube next to the lower or inside wall adjacent to the carrier bar so that it acts to lightly compress the tuft element into small compass and permits the use of a lighter spring to secure any given degree of tension.

In the accompanying drawings I have shown a simple and convenient manner of embodying the principles of this invention, the same being shown in connection with so much of the tube frame as may be necessary to a complete understanding of the invention.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a plan View of a portion of the tube frame equipped with my invention.

Figure 2 is a, side elevation of one of the tuft tubes or guides operatively secured to the carrier-structure and fitted with a yarn tension device in accordance with my invention.

Figure 3 is a central vertical section of one of the guide tubes provided with a tension device.

Figure 4 is a rear elevation loolcin in the direction of the inlet ends of the gui e tubes.

Figures 5 and 6 are detail cross sectional views of the guide tubes The tube frame illustrated in the drawings comprises a rigid tubular carrier bar a to whose ends are fitted the spool supporting brackets a in which is rotatably mounted the yarn supplying spool b on which the tuft yarns are wound side by side in position to be threaded into the rear or receiving ends of the yarn guides or tube-members c, which are arranged transversely of the carrier bar a, and are secured thereto byany suitable means, such asv the clamping bar 0, and the reinforcing slotted guide bar 0 The foregoing features form no part of this invention, and are explained for the purpose 'of making clear the operation of the tension mechanism forming the subject matter hereof. I k

The individual guide tubes are adapted to receive the yarn tufts from the spool and are preferably made of thin sheet metal and so formed and dimensioned as to be narrowed or contracted at their forward or delivery ends to leave interstitial spaces to permit them to pass between the Warp. threads of the fabric being woven.

In the practice of my invention according to the specific form. shown in the drawings, I employ a bent or curved spring metal tongue d constructed and arranged to en- 7 gage some part of the tube frame structure in such a manner as to frictionally engage the strands of yarn in order to slightly retard the drawing of said yarn strands of tufts through the individual guides or tubes.

very convenient arrangement is that shown in the drawings in which an individual tension device al is applied to each "tube-member in such manner as to be supported by the tube-member itself in position to press the group of threads or the yarn tuft passing through that tube, agalnst the wall of the tube with a light yielding pressure, while readily permitting the tuft yarns to be inserted in the first instance when threading the tubes. and to be drawn through. To this end the upper or outslde wall of each yarn tube is provided with the perforations 0, near the'edge of the inlet or threading opening, and the spring tongue (1 is bent at its rear end to form an elongated eye or loop d, which owing to the spring of the metal can be opened to pass over the rear edge of the front wall of the tube, and spring into the orifice or open ng a. The loop or fasteningencl of the sprlng tongue is so proportioned that when snapped into engagement with the front. wall of the tube, the spring tongue or tension member is held securely in place, while its curved free portion is in a position tO-Ipress hghtly against the under or inside wall of the tube.

. The free end of the member d is carried up- It will be seen that with the tension device operating directly on the tuft .yarns any slackness between the yarn spool and the tuft tubes will have no effect upon the tension of the tuft yarns as they are delivered to the fabric being woven. It will also be I understood that while the tension devices are here shown as individual springs detachably secured to the individual tuft tubes,

it is not essential that particular arrangement and constructionshould be followed in the practice of the invention, and that the form and arrangement shown is to be considered merely as illustrating the principleof the invention.

For practical reasons the tuft tubes are made quite narrow from side to side in comparison with their depth from the upper to the lower wall, and therefore it is highly advantageous to arrange the springso that it presses the tuft element into the narrow space adjacent to the lower or inside wall of the'tube next to the carrier bar. This serves to compact the tuft element into the narrowest possible space before it is fed between the warp threads of the fabric being woven besides permitting the use of a materially lighter'spring to obtain any desired de ree of retardation of the travel of the tu t tube. The interlocking arrangement by V which each tension device is securely engaged with its tuft tube against the possibility ofany accidental displacement while permitting its instant removal without disturbing any yarn tension devices or other parts of the structure contributes to the reliable fastening and expeditious removal for re lacement or adjustment.

hat I claim is:

1. In a tuft tube frame, the combination I of a series of relatively narrow tuft tubes wall a with a retainin secured side by side to a carrier bar, a sepapendently of the other tuft tubes and arranged to yieldingly press. the yarn tuft therein against the narrow back .or'under wall of the tube, substantially as described.-

2. In a tube frame the combination of in dividual tuft tubes of oblong cross section adapted to be secured to the carrier bar of a tube frame, a series of individual tuft engaging springs each spring being positively but detachably interlocked with one of the narrow walls of its tuft tube to press the tuft element therein a ainst the opposite narrow wall of said tu t tube whereby the yarn element is compacted by the tensionmg member against one of the narrow walls of the tube preparatory to being fed into the fabric being woven, substantially as described.

3. A tuft tube for a tubefra'me embracing a flat tubular member of relatively nar row width in cross sectionin comparison with its depth and provided in its upper orifice, a spring-tension'member forme to interlockingly and detachably engage said orifice when the tensioning member is inserted in operative position in the tube, substantially as described.

.4. A tuft tube for a tube frame provided near its inlet end with an aperture, atension spring comprising a bent tongue portion and a hook portion said hook portion being provided with an inwardly turned member for engaging the aperture in. the tuft tube when the tension device is in operative position in the ,tuft tube, substantially as described;

5. A tuft tube for atube frame embracing in its construction a tubular member having its Wall apertured and a tension spring adapted to be inserted therein to press the yarn a ainst the inner face or back of the tuft tu e'said, tension sprin being formed with a hook-like member a apted to engage in an aperture in the outer or front wall of the tuft tube to'be detach-- above specification.

CHARLES LEA, 

